You Owe Me
by Zelda Ophelia
Summary: Flack and Angell find themselves together on another stakeout.


"You realize you owe me for this."

Briefly taking his eyes from the rearview mirror, Don glanced at his passenger before pulling out into traffic in front of the station. "What? You mean you had something better to do than tail Ward Barkley with me?"

"As a matter of fact, I was going to wash my hair."

Glancing over again to see the smirk on her face, he burst into laughter. "Well, it is nice to know where I rank. I could have asked Thacker, you know."

"Thacker?" Jess scoffed as she slightly turned in her seat to face him better. "You saw the burritos he had for lunch, right? Did you really want to be stuck in a car with him all evening?"

"Why else do you think I asked you instead? Other than your winning personality and all around good looks."

She shook her head, turning her head to the window so he couldn't see the color rising in her cheeks. When she looked back over at him, he was grinning at her in amusement.

"I figured that with four older brothers you weren't capable of blushing." He quirked his eyebrows as he continued. "Guess it was my turn to get you."

"Sure, Flack. If that's what you want to think." She rolled her eyes as she spoke, upping the sarcasm in an attempt to downplay her earlier reaction.

"Oh, so you weren't blushing?" He asked as he glanced over at her. When he saw she was about to deny it he interrupted her and said, "No-no, wait. Let me guess, you were so impressed by my witty repartee you nearly swooned."

It was her turn to burst into laughter. "Keep piling it on Flack. Keep piling it on. At this rate you're ranking right up there with green jello."

"Mmmmm, that good?" At her snort he turned back to her. "What? I like jello."

"I don't."

"You don't?" He looked over at her, wrinkling his nose in disbelief. "You really don't? What's wrong with you? How can you not like jello?"

"You've never had burnt jello, have you?" She shuddered dramatically. "Trust me, once you've had that you'll never want to eat it again."

"Something tells me there's a story there."

"Maybe. But not in the middle of a stakeout." She shot back as he pulled their car into a spot down the street from Barkley's apartment. The radio crackled as another unmarked car, further up the street, pulled out from the curb.

"It's been quiet, guys. Enjoy an easy night." Scagnetti's voice greeted them. But even as he spoke, their target could be seen exiting the building. "Or not. We'll pull around the block and catch up with you after he gets going."

Barkley had chosen a bad time to head out, Jess thought as Flack pulled away from the curb. Less chance of losing a tail if you had two cop cars on your back. As Flack took a right following Barkley's car, she could see Scagnetti and Cooper ready to pull out behind them from a side street. Now if only he'd lead them to his contact, they could take the whole ring out.

::

"Hey Jess," he called out as he caught up with her at the door. She had paused to pull her jacket on, wrapping it tightly around her against the cold outside.

"Barkley through booking?" She asked as she pulled her gloves on.

"Yeah." He pulled his own coat tight before following her out the door. "And his little friend, too. Thanks again for the help."

"You still owe me." A gust of wind nearly knocked her off balance as she spoke, and she tried to ignore the little frissons down her back when he reached out to help steady her.

"You okay?" He asked, keeping his hand on her back even after she nodded. "How do you propose I make it up to you?"

"Breakfast," she said suddenly, deciding that this time the wind could be blamed if he noticed her reddening cheeks. "I know a great place, just around the corner on Oliver. But not a lot of other cops go there, so you don't end up discussing cases in your off time. How 'bout you meet me there in the morning for breakfast? You're buying."

"I think I can do that." The garage offered more protection from the elements and they had soon reached his car. "Do you have a car here or do you need a ride?"

"I'm just down there," she pointed to the other corner. "See you tomorrow morning at seven?"

"Sure, I'll see you then. And you can tell me about that burnt jello of yours."

Her laughter rang out through the parking garage as she walked over to her car. "You wish, Flack, you wish."


End file.
